Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 34

Tīrtha-Māhātmya: Mahālaya, Kedāra, Rivers and Fords, and Devadāru Forest

Akṣaya-Karma Doctrine

Devanagari script

तीर्थं द्विजातिभिर्जुष्टं नाम्ना वै कुरुजाङ्गलम् / दत्त्वा तु दानं विधिवद् ब्रह्मलोके महीयते

Transliteration

tīrthaṃ dvijātibhirjuṣṭaṃ nāmnā vai kurujāṅgalam / dattvā tu dānaṃ vidhivad brahmaloke mahīyate

Translation

有一处名为“俱卢阇伽罗”（Kurujāṅgala）的圣地渡口，为诸“二次生者”（dvijāti）所常至。若有人依正仪于彼处布施，便在梵天世界——梵天界（Brahmaloka）中受尊崇。

Word by Word

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage-place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विषय/कर्म

• द्विजातिभिः: by the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजातिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—द्वि + जाति (तत्पुरुष); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण/सहकारक (instrumental/agentive)

• जुष्टम्: frequented/served
• जुष्टम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जुष् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: जुष्-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘तीर्थम्’)

• नाम्ना: by the name
• नाम्ना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (means: ‘by name’)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/खलु-अर्थ (emphatic particle)

• कुरुजाङ्गलम्: (called) Kurujāṅgala
• कुरुजाङ्गलम्: Samjna (संज्ञा/नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुजाङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—कुरु + जाङ्गल (तत्पुरुष, देशविशेषनाम); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तीर्थम्’ इत्यस्य नाम

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + त्वा (प्रत्यय)
• Form: दा-धातोः त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having given)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अनन्तर (but/then)

• दानम्: a gift/charity
• दानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• विधिवत्: properly, as prescribed
• विधिवत्: Prakara (प्रकार/रीति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (according to rule)

• ब्रह्मलोके: in Brahma’s world
• ब्रह्मलोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—ब्रह्मणः लोकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (place)

• महीयते: is honored/exalted
• महीयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—‘is honored/glorified’

Speaker

Traditional narration within the tīrtha-māhātmya section (Purāṇic narrator addressing the listener; commonly framed as a sage-to-king discourse in Kurma Purana)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kurujāṅgala
• Brahmaloka
• Dvijāti

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: it presents purification through dharma—tīrtha-sevā and vidhivat dāna—as supports for inner refinement, which the Kurma Purana elsewhere links to fitness for Self-knowledge and higher states.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes preparatory discipline rather than a technique: ritual propriety (vidhi) and charitable giving at a tīrtha, which function as karma-yoga-style purifiers that steady the mind for higher yogic practice described in other sections.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

It does not explicitly discuss Shiva–Vishnu unity; instead it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative dharma framework where merit-producing acts (dāna, tīrtha) support spiritual ascent, compatible with both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva paths taught across the text.